Blogging from the Gospel Music Workshop of America: August 16

Yesterday’s Late Night Showcase was presented by New Haven Records, Kingdom Records and Gospel Warehouse Records. Sporting a birthday party motif to celebrate the Gospel Announcers Guild’s 35th anniversary -– a party that included ice cream, cake, and a balloon-stretching clown named Bingo — the showcase could easily have been touted as a Chicago showcase. Windy City artists were represented a-plenty, including the dynamic Leanne Faine, a powerful shouter who bears more than a passing comparison to Dot Coates; Shekinah Glory, which dazzled with its trademark multi-visual theatrics and peaceful, hypnotic version of its hit “Yes;” and Chicago Mass Choir, whose concluding number, “I’m so glad I found Him,” turned the Hyatt into church. The always effervescent Lemmie Battles took part in the program as did Eric Carrington, among others.

The real surprise for me was the female quintet Zie’l. I’d heard them briefly earlier this year on Gospel Warehouse’s “411” sampler, but I was not prepared for what I heard last night. These five college co-eds from Shreveport, Louisiana whose fathers sang with the Bright Star Male Chorus owned the audience, chairs, tables and all, with its fortissimo a cappella harmonies and arrangement of the Ward Singers’ “Surely God is able,” which they modernized but still managed to keep true to the original. For fun the quintet even attempted an imitation of the Clark Sisters with impressive accuracy.

Tuesday’s Gospel Announcers Guild sessions were filled with trade news and tips. Kerry and Fatiyah Douglas of Gospel Truth Magazine announced that their periodical – which was first put together in their living room and has grown from 10 pages to more than 100 pages – is now being distributed to mainstream retailers such as Wal-Mart. Gospel Truth is now the “largest faith-based magazine in the market,” according to the Douglas’.

Prof. Reggie Miles of Howard University shared with the group that the Olympus WS-2005 digital voice recorder is an excellent product for collecting drops and downloading them into a computer for airing.

Dorinda Clark Cole dropped in unexpectedly near the end of the GAG afternoon session to thank the announcers for their support and to remind them of another project that will be released at the end of the month. She will also be hosting a singers and musicians conference as a way to give something back to the industry.

During the day, I had a chance to speak with a couple of gospel pioneers. Kenneth Woods, who was Sallie Martin’s accompanist, shared stories of his experiences with the Sallie Martin Singers and recording for Vee Jay Records in the early 1960s. He was purchasing new copies of old gospel songbooks originally published in the 1950s, at least one which featured a song he had arranged back in the day. “Gospel Memories” hopes to have him as a guest later this fall or early in the winter.

I also caught up with John Phillips who was honored by the GAG for spending fifty years as an announcer in Los Angeles. I told him that I had recently programmed a recording by his late wife, Vermya; she had been his partner on the air during those many decades. John verified the date of that recording (1960). He has witnessed a lot of radio history and I suspect is a veritable warehouse of stories and remembrances of West Coast gospel music activity. After all, L.A. was home to the Echoes of Eden of St. Paul Baptist Church, Specialty Records, Brother Henderson, Cora Martin-Moore (who died this past July 10), and the list goes on.

We finished out the afternoon by taking a bus to a local theater to preview The Gospel. The film stars Boris Kodjoe, Clifton Powell, Omar Gooding, Keshia Knight Pulliam, as well as a cavalcade of gospel stars, including Donnie McClurkin and Delores “Mom” Winanss well as performances by Yolanda Adams (whose “Victory” gets lots of exposure in the film), Martha Munizzi, Fred Hammond, and new songs by Kirk Franklin. The film is metaphorically based on the Prodigal Son story and seemed to satisfy the nearly 300 announcers who attended, though none of them were alight with enthusiasm as they were after previewing Ray last year. I thought the opening sequence — a church service in full motion interruped by quick cuts to a variety of yellowed photos of church scenes from many eras — was the most fascinating piece of the film. The Gospel is slated for national opening later this fall.

Tonight’s Late Night Showcase will be sponsored by EMI Gospel and if the old eyes and feet can make it, I will be there.